Patrick Stevens' coverage of college sports in D.C./Baltimore/Virginia, just the same as ever

07/23/2010

No depth issues for Terps at tailback --- yet

The microanalysis of Caleb Porzel's departure from Maryland's football program is easy enough to figure out.

The Terrapins lose a speedy tailback, the exact sort of entity those who live for Signing Day fall to pieces over. It's another academic casualty for Maryland (Porzel sat out spring practice to focus on academics, always an ominous sign). And it's just one more cloud doing its part to block out the sun for a program that could use every last ray of light it can find at the moment.

But that's the short-term. The long term?

Well, for the entirety of this season, it leaves Maryland with four scholarship tailbacks --- Da'Rel Scott, Davin Meggett, Gary Douglas and D.J. Adams. Even with a possible injury (and, let's face it, running backs get hurt) factored in, the Terps should be OK.

This fall, anyway.

Scott's gone at season's end, and at his departure there's a chance he'll be among the top five rushers in school history. This year's freshman class doesn't include a true tailback, which means Maryland will likely only have three tailbacks in town for spring ball.

In short, for the first time in a few years, Maryland is soon going to need bodies in the backfield.

Porzel wouldn't have solved a variety of issues, but he could have taken care of some very specific ones as a complementary piece.

Much like Javarie Johnson's departure, Porzel's exit means far more for the future than it was going to this year. It certainly stands to reason Maryland (be it the current Ralph Friedgen/James Franklin brain trust or whoever might come in should a change be made at season's end) will be scouring a little harder for an extra running back to sign next February. Otherwise, depth at tailback --- not too long ago, a strength for the program --- could be a hole the Terps face in the next few seasons.